Lol @ the look on the face of the dude in the background of that Soul Train Awards pic.

__________________
"We're living in a world where we're having our rights taken away by giant corporations, and [fanboys] were cheering for another corporation to eventually take our rights away...because we'll get superhero movies!" --writer Brandon Easton on the Disney/Fox merger

Don't know what LHM means, and the insults are unnecessary. I said the dude in the background of the pic. The guy over the shoulder of Johnny Gill.

__________________
"We're living in a world where we're having our rights taken away by giant corporations, and [fanboys] were cheering for another corporation to eventually take our rights away...because we'll get superhero movies!" --writer Brandon Easton on the Disney/Fox merger

Where It All Started: 25th Anniversary Retrospective Of Bobby Brown’s “Don’t Be Cruel” & New Edition’s “Heart Break”

June is Black Music Month and this is a landmark day for Black music as a whole. On June 20, 1988 MCA Records released both Bobby Brown’s “Don’t Be Cruel” and New Edition’s“Heart Break” on the same day. These two albums forever changed not only R&B/Soul but the entire landscape of the music industry simultaneously. In order to understand why this is significant we must start at the beginning, with the day Bobby Brown was voted out of New Edition in December 1985 amidst mounting pressure from New Edition’s management & production team and the fallout surrounding it all.At the top of 1986 Bobby Brown was glad to shed himself of New Edition’s squeaky clean image and choose producers and songwriters other than Vincent Brantley, Rick Timas and Michael Sembello of Jump & Shoot Productions, whom their management instantly installed as their musical team.While recording their self-titled LP in 1984 (shortly after they won the case that secured their freedom from Streetwise Records) the group discovered they weren’t signed directly to MCA, but rather to Jump & Shoot Productions via a production deal arranged by their management (AMI).New Edition released album after album in hopes of amassing enough money to buy their way out of their management & production contracts with Steven Machat and his partners Rick Smith and Bill Dern of AMI/Jump & Shoot. They hoped to become free agents then negotiate a new deal directly with MCA Records. However, before that could happen, they had to endure one more album with Jump & Shoot while Bobby Brown signed a solo deal with MCA and began to seek out a new creative team for his upcoming solo project.In early 1986 New Edition recorded a cover of the 50’s Doo Wop hit “Earth Angel” for the soundtrack to the sequel to “Karate Kid.” It was initially seen as a one-off song before they began working on what would hopefully be their final record making music they weren’t proud of. “Karate Kid II” opened in theaters in North America on June 20, 1986 and became an instant hit. Peter Cetera made the film’s main theme “For The Glory Of Love” which was a massive hit but New Edition’s cover of “Earth Angel” became a crossover hit, slightly missing Billboard’s Top 20 on the Pop charts (stalled at #21). Unfortunately, the success of that song gave New Edition’s producers the idea to make their next LP a concept album full of covers of Doo Wop songs.To put this dubious idea into proper context, Janet Jackson was crushing the R&B/Soul and Pop charts with her new album “Control” as was Cameo with their album “Word Up!”. The Minneapolis sound and a new brand of R&B that would soon be branded New Jack Swing was gaining favor thanks to Prince, Ready For The World plus the production of Cameo’s Larry Blackmon and Flyte Tyme’s Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. This was not the time to go retro in the face of all this musical progression.Nevertheless, New Edition released “Under The Blue Moon” in October 1986 and the album barely managed to go Gold when their previous albums all exceeded Platinum and each had multiple hit singles. Outside of “Earth Angel” none of their singles fared well on the charts while the aesthetic of R&B was in flux. Ralph Tresvant became increasingly disillusioned with the group and began to consider going solo as 1986 soon gave way to 1987.Meanwhile, Bobby Brown began recording his debut solo album for MCA Records. “King Of Stage” was released in December 1986 behind the lead single, “Girlfriend.” This ballad became Bobby Brown’s first solo hit, eventually peaking at #57 on the Billboard Pop charts but reaching #1 on the Billboard Soul/R&B charts. His second single, the up-tempo dance number “Girl Next Door,” was a minor hit (#31 R&B/Soul) but his album failed to even go Gold. While Bobby Brown was a winner at the 1987 Boston Music Awards, he knew he had a long way to go before he was satisfied.Mike Bivins had the foresight to ensure the future of New Edition following them finally getting out of their old deal with Jump & Shoot Productions after their management team AMI’s firm disbanded, senior partner Steve Machat stepped down and the group opted to not continue to be managed by junior partners Rick Smith or Bill Dern. They celebrated their newfound freedom by installing Brooke Payne as interim manager and signing directly to MCA Records in Spring 1987. Ralph was considering a solo project like Bobby so Mike brought in Johnny Gill both to fill Bobby’s vacant spot and to potentially become the group’s new lead singer in the event Ralph bolted.Next, the guys and their longtime choreographer/personal manager Brooke Payne agreed to bring in Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis to craft the sound of what was going to become their breakout album and shed their old boyhood image once and for all. Ralph Tresvant ultimately opted against pursuing a solo project due to encouragement from Mike Bivins and New Edition once again became a quintet. In June 1987, just one year removed from the abomination that was “Earth Angel” and the havoc it wreaked on their young careers, New Edition began work on their “Heart Break” LP.New Edition had been all but written off after their horrific last album in 1986. People were jamming to Club Nouveau, Full Force, Jody Watley, Levert, Klymaxx, The System, Atlantic Starr, Alexander O’Neal, Terrence Trent D’arby, Cameo, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam and Keith Sweat throughout this time and they were slowly forgetting about New Edition. This was more than enough motivation for the Roxbury renegades of R&B to reclaim their thrones and once again change the game.Bobby Brown regrouped from his disappointing debut album. He stayed in contact with members of New Edition even though he was voted out and he took stock in their progress on the comeback trail. In turn, Bobby decided to do the same. He soon enlisted the services of the songwriting/production team of L.A. Reid & Babyface. They didn’t have any huge successes on the level that Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis previously enjoyed with Janet Jackson, Cherrelle or Alexander O’Neal but Bobby was going to help change all of that. In October 1987, Bobby Brown, L.A. Reid, Babyface, Darryl Simmons, Gene Griffin, Larry White and Gordon Jones all began crafting the album that would change popular music forever.By January 1988, New Edition completed their comeback album “Heart Break.” In the time they’d been gone from the scene the entire game had changed. They knew they had to come out hard and knock everyone else out the box. Instead of trying to convince everyone they were grown up and hope to gain acceptance in a changing industry, they instead operated from a position of power. They were going to put together a comprehensive tour and bring the album to life in front of audiences all across the country so they could experience the new New Edition for themselves. Preparation for what was to become the 1988 Heartbreak Tour began immediately.Bobby Brown completed “Don’t Be Cruel” in April 1988. His boys and labelmates New Edition were putting together their comeback tour and they reached out to Bobby to be part of it, as he was coming back to smash the game as well. Bobby headed back to Boston in May to film the video for his album’s lead single “Don’t Be Cruel.” New Edition wouldn’t be releasing a single before they dropped the album, instead opting to begin the tour immediately and drop the lead single while they were on the road to actively help push it. It was risky but if it worked? It would pay off handsomely for everyone.

When you hear the name BELL BIV DEVOE, you think of classics like "Poison," "Do Me" and "When Will I See You Smile Again.' And when you hear from the Boston natives, who along with New Edition celebrates 30 years in the music business this year, you hear the passion still in them to entertain. Just before they ripped the Verses and Flow stage, we sat down with them and talked about their 30 year ride, if they had any regrets, and what there's still left to do before they go out on their own terms.

LA:All right. So welcome to Verses and Flow. Happy 30th anniversary to the other group that you guys are a part of.Ron: No doubt.Which songs will you be blessing us with on stage?Ron: Oh, we're going to take them back and give them the classics, "Poison" and that sensual ballad, "When Will I See You Smile Again?"Everybody's looking forward to that. And speaking of which, you're here as Bell Biv DeVoe. Is this part of a tour?Mike: We just move. We started last year and we've been doing shows all summer. We've done the Essence Festival, the BET Experience. We work, man.Trust me, I know.Mike: Shows on the books between now and November, as a matter of fact, and they're coming in constantly. It's a beautiful thing, man. People want to see us perform. We've got a loyal following and we're definitely grateful.I know last year you all did the tour leading up to the 30th. Now that the 30th is here, is there one special gig or is there one place where you're going to film a concert to make into a DVD?Ricky: Actually, that's a good question. We performed at the Essence this year as well as the BET show out here in LA. But as far as our own New Edition special, that's not in the works right now. We're looking to do a new record as well as a big tour behind that. We're still putting the pieces to the puzzle together.Is it a New Edition record or a Bell Biv DeVoe record?Ricky: Both.Very cool. Now, here's a question that I've got to ask. I'm in my early 40s, right? I can't walk up the stairs without being out of breath, because when I was trying to get up to the interview room, it wasn't working out for me very well...Ron: Yeah, I heard that. [laughs]You guys, you all do the moves. Every night, every show, how in the world do you all keep up that stamina?Ron: Aw, man, just having a love for what we do. I guess it all started before we came out. 1983, of course, "Candy Girl." Three or four years before that, we would rehearse four or five hours a day, man. Any time you're rehearsing something for four or five hours a day, and all you have to do is go on stage for maybe a half an hour, fortyâ€‘five minutes to an hour, you kind of build up the stamina to make that happen. Over time, it's just something that's kind of built in us. But don't get me wrong. I mean, nowadays we got to fall back and hop up in a hot tub or something like that, and slide some Epsom Salt up in that.
But it's a beautiful thing, man. We just love what we do, and don't take it for granted, and definitely want to give the people what they deserve.30 years ago when you all started this, did you all think it would turn into this? When you all came out in '83, what was the goal? What did you all think you all were going to do before this turned into what it is?Mike: To be honest, some of the times I wish we never did make it. I think we all share trying to curb this answer, but some things have been good for us, and some things have hindered us. We're just at that point now where we're standing in front of the finish line, and we just hope that we do what we're supposed to do to cross over. To come this far and not to finish out the things that we know we're supposed to do would just be disappointing for all of the hard work and where we come from.
Even in the group, man, the hardest thing is getting everybody on the same page. Sometimes it takes 30 years just to get on the same page.
[laughter]You mentioned the finish line, but I know it isn't ever going to stop for New Edition. There was talk a couple years ago that maybe you all were going to do a residency in Vegas or something like that. Is that something that you might consider down the road or is it the same thing about being hard to get people on the same page?Mike: I think what Toni Braxton did, Celine Dion, and what Boyz II Men are doing, I find that it's easy to get in the room, it's easier to play a date. So in order to get in the room, it has to probably be the right hotel and to let them know that our audience will come and support so that the numbers are like Celine Dion. Because you could go get the room, but if you don't have that contract and the numbers and all that, then it's almost like leave it alone. They've got the money and I think once we probably do the movie or the record, something that's a real milestone, it seems like that's the natural...Progression.Ricky: There you go.